Water cooling system



Aug. 30, 1932. E. v. HILL WATER COOLING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 11, 1931 gwwmloi I! I I I g. Illa ii:

E. :5? :fliiiiit?! Earl Vmo/r HWZ I lllllllllllllllllllllllll r w m w 2 Patented Aug. 30, 1932.

UNITED STATES EARL vnmvon HILL,

Application filed November This invention relates to air conditioning apparatus including means associated wit such apparatus for cooling the fluid used therein, and is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application, Serial Number 555,584, filed August 6, 1931, wherein I have described and claimed a water cooled air cleaning, humidifying and dehumidifying device, adapted for use with a furnace or 1 other house heating plant, and particularly for installation in basements of small homes and dwellings. 1 K

The spray water ordinarily used for cooling and cleaning the air in such apparatus is often of a temperature too high for effective operation, and it is desirable in many cases to cool or even'refrigeratesuch water to obtain the desired air cooling or a positive dehumidifying effect.

It has been proposed to cool or refrigerate water for air conditioning use b appropriate refrigerating machinery. owever, for continuous operation of an air conditioning unit for a small home, this is an expensive matter and requires machinery of large size and expensive installation; furthermore, there is no way in which a partial cooling effect may be obtained unless the machine be run at suitable intervals.

I have found that cooling andrefrigeration can be economicallyand simply provided by means of the method and apparatus here; inafter described, compr sing passing a coo ing fluid through a series of underground tanks or equivalent pipes associated with a suitable refrigerating coil" and having a capacity materially less than the capacity of a refrigerating machine adequate and,

m necessary to produce the same refrigerating effect alone, without the complementary ground cooling. The invention also comprehends the provision of cooling tanks whereby the liquid to be cooled flows in a vertical direction preferably downward in contact 'withthe interior surface of outer shell of the tank, and upward at higher velocity through a central tube, all of which is hereinafter described and claimed. The invention also so includes cooling for domestic water supply FATE-N1? orrlcn or CHICAGO, rumors V 1 WATER COOLING SYSTEM 11, 1931. Serial No. 574,444..

of from 40 to degrees at an approximate on depth of 10 to 15 feet. This varies with the locality, the nature of the soil, and other conditions. At any depth from 20 to 200 feet, the ground will have a uniform temperature ranging from about '3 to 6 degreesF. 00

above the mean annual air temperature. At these depths, for example, the ground at Chicago will have a temperature of about 52 dew grees F.,fin summer and winter. Below 200 feet a slight rise occurs, about 1 degree F. per v p 64 feet of depth. By the present invention, I propose to utilize the low temperature below the frost line, to cool the water or other fluid used in my air conditioning system. I provide a plurality of tanks connected in series which are embedded beneath the groun level of the basement floor of a dwelling, for example, and cause a flow of city water through such tanks in such a manner as to I efiiciently precool the water prior to final mechanical refrigeration. In some cases, the mechanical refrigeration may be dispensed with, if desired. In the drawing, a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown.

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of my .air conditioning unit in combination with the emixbedded tanks, tank No. 1 being shown in 4 partial cross-section.

Fig. 2 is an end view showing in detail the construction of the final tank in the series.

. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the tank shown in Fig. 2. v

Referring to the drawing, A series of metal tanks, 1, 2,3 and 4, each provided with fins 5 are embedded in a ground 6 and connected with each other in series by conduits, each conduit being in the form of a rightangle L comprising a vertical elongated portion 8 and a'horizontal portion 7 connected by an elbow 14, the vertical portions 8 extending from points close to the bottoms of the tanks and disposed centrally therein, and each horizontal member 7 communicating with the top of the next succeeding tank.

of tanks. If desired, any other tank of the series may be provided with a refrigerating coil containing a suitable refrigerant in a like manner.

It will be noted that when mechanical refrigeration, expansion coils or other means of cooling is used in the'last tank, this last tank is provided with insulation 16, especially when the water temperature produced by the cooling effect of the refrigerating coil is below the ground temperature. *The insulation may be of any well known material having heat insulating characteristics, and may be placed around the extending fins or around the tank in any manner. It may be desirable not to have fins on the last tank and to-provide the same with insulation material only, or to place the tank in an insulated receptacle buried in the earth.

The outlet conduit 17 from the final tank 4 communicates with the spray nozzle 18 in the air washing chamber of the conditioning'unit 19." The used water is drained fromthe reservoir thru the outlet 20, or thisoutlet may be closed and the water passed back into the first tank for recirculation thru the conduit 21 provided with a pump 22. The gate valve 523 permits the entry of city water or water from anyother source into tank 1.

The operation is as follows:

The tanks with their radial fins 5 assume the temperature of'the ground in whichthey are placed. A flow of city wateris forced, either under its own pressure or by means of a suitable pump, into tank 1, whereby it contacts the interior surface 15 of the outer shell of the tank and passes downwardly to the bottom thereof. In thi'sway, the water enters at the top of the tank and flows downward slowly over its full cross-sectional area. The temperatu 're of theground is lower descending from the surface so that by having the water flow downwardly, the greatest differential between the water temperature and ground temperature is maintained, thus securing the highest heat transfer. The fins 5 secure a greater contact with the'ground and 'facilitate the transfer of heat. The water flows upward from t-ankl through thepipe 8 at higher velocity than its downward movement and flows into tank 2 where it is further cooled in a manner similar to tank 1. The same operation is repeated in as many tanks as necessary until the final tank, such as tank 4 herewith, is reached. 'In tank 4, a refrigerating coil surrounds the central outlet conduit. The refrigerating coil is connected to a suitable re- A. brine coolingapparatus may also be used.

It will be seen that with a cooler of this type in conjunction with an air conditioning unit, having a capacity of 5 gallons of water per minute, that if the temperature of the water entering the cooler is degrees and it is cooled 10 degrees by the ground contact alone, 5 gallons of water equivalent to l0 pounds of water per minute are cooled 10 degrees. This approximates 400 B. t. u. which-is equivalent t62 tons of refrigeration, or a 2 ton refrigerating machine. The use of a small 1 ton refrigerating machine with the expansion coil in tank 4 permits the cooling'of the water an additional 5 degrees, so that there is obtained in this way a capacity of 3 tons of refrigeration with a 1 ton machine.

The metal tanks are preferably of cast iron although any suitable conducting medium may be used, such as aluminum, for example. The tanks are preferably of cylindrical shape but they may be rectangular or other shape, if desired, and may consist of a number of tubes within the spirit and scope of the invention. The cooled or refrigerated water passes from the outlet of the last tank to the spraying medium of the air cleaning device and may be returned to the tanks for recirculation or even mixed in part with a. new supply of water and the mixture passed through the tanks tobe reutilized in the manner above set forth. Under preferred conditions of operation, city water under its normal pressure without auxiliary pumping means will be conducted into the series of cooling tanks, and after final refrigeration treatment in the last tank will enter the spray nozzles (or their equivalent) in the air washing chamber, the water passing 011' into the common house drain without recirculation... In many cases, the ground cooler will be sufficient without mechanical or even brine refrigeration in the last tank,'and in that case, it will not be necessary to circulate refrigeraiit through the coil 12. The tanks may also be placed other than in vertical position. It will also be apparent that any suitable pump means may be used either with or without the natural pressure of the water, or to aid the force of gravity, where desired.

The tanks, or their equivalent pipes or conduits areburied in the ground, with or without extended surfaces thereon. It will be appreciated that a long coil of pipe may be used.

If desired, such a cooling system for water as hereindescribed may be used for domestic water supply, or any other situation where cooled water may be desired.

Claims:

1. In combination with an air cleaning and conditioning, unit having water washing means therein, a plurality of tanks embedded in the ground, fins on said tanks, means connecting said tanks in series, and means connecting the last tank of the series With the spraying means, and a Water sup-- ply for said tank series.

2. In combination with'an air condition-.

ing device in which a liquid is used for humidifying and dehumidfyng the air passing therethrough, a reservoir for said liquid in said air conditioning device, means for cooling said liquid comprising a series of tanks buried in the ground, the last tank of said series having associated therewith a refrigerating coil.

3. An air conditioning system comprising means for water cooling the air, and means connected to said 'first' named means comprising means for cooling the water, said second named means being buried in the ground, mechanical refrigerating means associated with said second named means to positively dehumidifythe air cooled by said An air conditioning apparatus comprising a casing having water washing means therein and water cooling means communieating with said water washing means, said water cooling means including means to cool "water'by ground contact and means to extract heat from the .precoolecl waterby mechanical refrigeration. L

' .9. An air conditioning apparatus having a water reservoir and spray means associated therewith, a glrain for said reservoir, a series of underground tanks for coolingwater for said spray means, a. conduit connecting said reservoir to said tanks, and a pump in said conduit to permit a portion of the reservoir Water to be recirculated thru said tanks.

-10. In combination with an air conditioning unit 'in which water is used as a humidifying and dehumidifying medium, means for cooling said water comprising a series of tanks buried in the ground, thelast tank refrigerating coil.

11. In ombination with an air conditioningunit n which water is used as a humidifying and dehumidifying medium, means for cooling said water comprising a series of tanks buried in the ground the last tankof the series having associated therewith a refrigerating coil and means for thermally insulating said last tank from the ground.

of the series having associated therewith a In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand.

EARL vnnlvon HILL.

and passing the same upwardly at high velocity out of contact with the interior shell of said 'conducting' medium and then sub jecting the pre cooled water to the influence. of mechanical refrigeration.

6. A water distribution system for an air conditioning apparatus comprising reservoir means in' said apparatus to hold. water, water washing means associated with said reservoir, means connected with said water washing means to supply thesame with cold water 7 including cooling means comprisin an underground container assoclated wit artifi-' cial refrigerator means.

7 In combination with an air conditioning device in which a liquid is used for humidifying and dehumidifying the air passing therethrough, a-reservoir for said liquid'in said air condltlonlng device, means for cool ing said liquid comprising a series of-tanksburied in the ground, the last tank'of said series having associated therewith' a refrigcrating coil, and means connecting the reservoir with the first tank of said series.

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